Brit Marling

“We put limitations on the way that we think about things, on ourselves, think about all the boxes we live in, male or female, you're this age, that age, this is your job, this is not your job, everything is about getting boxed in.”

“The only thing that's important is that every day I'm waking and doing something that I really love to do.”

“Then in college, besides economics, I also majored in studio art and got involved in photography and making short films and acting. But I didn't know you could make a living that way.”

“A lot of people think, 'I'll give acting or poetry or filmmaking a try. And if it doesn't work out I'll go get a law degree, do something else that's more practical.' For me I went the reverse way. I lived the back-up plan.”

“I think we're scared of intimacy - all of us, a little bit.”

“Modern life has gotten so strange, we all get 150 emails and text messages a day, and it's hard when things are moving that quickly to keep that sense of wonder about being alive.”

“The litmus test for whether I want to take on a role or not is usually fear. If I'm afraid of it, then I want to do it.”

“So writing became a way to get to act in things that I thought were meaningful, and hopefully write stronger roles for other women.”

“When I go into a pitch room and I'm pitching something with a writing partner, everybody tends to look at the guy, even if I'm doing a lot of the talking.”

“One of the great pleasures of acting is surrendering to someone else's point of view of the world - living inside a character and a story that never would have come out of your mind or heart.”

“If you play it safe every time, then you're missing the best part of acting. You haven't learned anything about your humanity.”

“Is there anything worse than being called the 'It Girl?' By definition, there will be a new one in two weeks.”

“Science fiction has a way of letting you talk about where we are in the world and letting you be a bit of a pop philosopher without being didactic.”

“A whole film is just about arriving at a moment where you hopefully transfer some feeling to the audience.”

“I didn't understand how you could be an actor if you didn't also study philosophy and study political science, astronomy. And also just go out and live life and have experiences.”

“Writing so that I can act became a way of having not more control over my future but not having to wait for permission. You can choose yourself. Hmm, who should play this part? I nominate me!”

“I've found myself at one in the morning just sitting at my desk spending an hour returning emails from the day until like two in the morning. It's ridiculous, I should be sleeping, or dreaming, or reading a novel.”

“I always feel like the editing room is like coming into the kitchen. What kind of a meal do you make from there? It can be anything.”

“One of my favorite stories growing up was 'A Wrinkle in Time'. I loved that book.”

“I think what's so attractive about acting is that you get to live several lifetimes in one.”